The Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums can make the chore of vacuuming less painful. Modern models can also mop, and even climb (small) steps.

They have a small trash bin which they empty themselves and some are controlled by smartphone apps instead of the physical remote. Some come with mapping features to help them navigate more efficiently.

1. Power

With an impressive 8,000Pa of suction, our top pick for robot vacuums is strong enough to take care of the most difficult hairs and dirt. Its slim square shape enables it to slide underneath furniture, such as beds and sofas. Dual-Laser LIDAR technology offers precise obstacle avoidance and intelligent navigation. It also does a great job of cleaning pet hair baking soda, other debris that can be found near the baseboards and in corners.

Apart from the DEEBOT X2 OMNI bot, other high-powered bots on this list include the iRobot Roomba j7+ and the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra has docking station that automatically handles maintenance. It also has mopping capabilities. Its powerful suction, coupled with its efficient mopping, kept my floors clean of pet hair, muddy prints and other debris on every type of floor we tested.

A model that has 2,500Pa suction is sufficient for the majority of homes in the lower price range. They are also quieter, making them the ideal option for people with hearing issues. They're not silent but they are only about the same as normal conversations at home.

To find the ideal balance of usability and power, consider your cleaning needs and budget. Frequent light-duty tidying requires a longer runtime and lower suction, while weekly high-volume cleaning demands maximum power. Consider your flooring, home layouts and cleaning schedules in order to choose the right model to meet your needs. Check out robot vacuums reviews of robot vacuum reviews and ratings for more information about the most recent models. Many users have reported that their carpets and floors appear cleaner after using a robotic vacuum.

2. Navigation

A robot vacuum isn't able to perform its job properly if it doesn't know how to get around your home. This is why the most effective robots depend on sophisticated navigation systems that consistently scans rooms and builds an outline map to ensure thorough cleaning without being lost or hitting obstacles. There are three kinds of robot navigation including LiDAR, camera, and sensor.

LiDAR is utilized by the most expensive models to create a virtual room map, offering the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Bump sensors are used in cheaper models, but they can be inaccurate and miss a lot debris when working in dark places. Most robots also feature cliff sensors to keep them from falling down stairs or other drops.

A number of the robots I tested utilized object recognition to navigate around things like cords and fake dog turds. However, the Eufy X10 was the best. It was a fantastic mapping device, powerful oscillating mops, an intuitive app and the ability to clean by area, room or the entire home.

Take into consideration features such as floor type sensors, which automatically boost suction power when required. Some robots, such as the Roborock mop, make use of a mopping pad lift to get into corners and eliminate dried spills. Some hybrids even apply cleaning solution to stubborn stains.

A smaller bin will require less frequent emptying, however, a larger one can save you money on replacements. The cheapest robotic cleaners usually use a small disposable dust bag, but most mid-range models have larger 3L dustbins that last for decades. Certain premium robots such as the ECOVACS DEEBOT OMNI Station will self-empty and fill up their water tanks, allowing hands-free convenience.

3. App control

The best robot vacs have an app that allows you to monitor cleaning progress and schedule your sessions and connect to your smart home devices for hands-free control. Many robot vacuums can be controlled using voice commands, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have a separate remote control that lets you start, pause and return to dock. Choose a model that has a larger dustbin and can self-empty rather than one that requires manual emptying.

Certain robovacs come with technology for mapping to help them avoid obstacles like stairs and furniture. Certain robovacs let you define no-go zones and rooms to ensure that they only clean the areas that require it the most. They also have cliff sensors to prevent them from falling down stairs, which is particularly helpful in multi-level homes.

If you want to utilize your robot vacuum for cleaning rug carpets, you should choose one that can be used both for dry and wet mopping. You'll have better results cleaning when your vacuum can also take off its mop pad. Clean it and attach it again when you are ready to run another cleaning cycle. Look for a robot with the rubber roller. It will be less likely to get caught from pet hair or other debris. It's a good idea check the robot's brushroll and side brushes for debris stuck on once or twice a week as well. If you notice that they are getting clogged it could be time to replace parts.

4. Debris collection

Robot vacuums are made to, as the name suggests, to collect dust and debris from your floors. The best ones are able to pick fine particles such as baking soda and sand as well as larger pieces like orzo pasta, screws made of metal and pet hair. They also have better results on carpets with low pile than manual vacuums.

All flooring types are covered, and the top robots had pickup scores of greater than 95 percent. The two top-performing robots in this category were the ECOVACS DEEBOT X2 OMNI, and the Roborock Q Revo. Both are highly automated, with docking stations that can perform maintenance on their own, and apps that make them extremely user-friendly.

Both have self-emptying bins that collect the waste from the wastebasket, and clean the washboard while you mow. They also have an 8,000Pa vacuum cleaner, smart mapping technology, and advanced obstacle avoidance to help them navigate through even the most difficult areas. The ECOVACS robot is among the few that can vacuum carpet and remove mop pads. This makes it a perfect choice for users who have to switch between mopping and vacuuming frequently.

If you're looking for a less expensive option, we suggest the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+, our budget-friendly pick. It features LIDAR navigation and decent debris pickup performance for the price. It's not the fastest to map rooms and is susceptible to crashing into obstacles, however it's much less expensive than our other top-rated choices.

5. Battery life

The most effective robot vacuums are designed to let you go moving with your day while keeping your floors clean and spick and span. Although you'll need to give your home a manual hoover every now and again Robotic vacuums can help keep a certain level of cleanliness, and even wash even when you're away.


Choose a robovac that has an extended-lasting battery to get the most of it. A good rule of thumb is to expect a model to last for about two complete cleaning sessions if you run it at the highest power setting. This is less than a typical full-sized vacuum cleaner, but it will be sufficient to provide for the majority of homes. If you don't want to sit while your robovac recharges, you can choose a model that will automatically return to the base station for charging.

If you are looking for a robovac that does a little bit of everything, think about an all-in-one machine that can mop as well. Eufy's X10 is the top model of this category comes with self-emptying and self refilling for the dust bin as well as the water tank and the mop pad. It can be programmed to automatically refill and wash its mop pads once they are out.

Its respectable carpet and hard floor pickup excellent hair pickup, tangle prevention, and its near-perfect auto empty score makes it the clear winner of our test scores. However, it's not cheap and unless you have a a small home with no pets, it could be too pricey for some. The Dreametech D10+ is the runner-up and has a similar performance, but it costs 25% less.